Human affairs are so obscure and various that nothing can be clearly known.

The opinion formulated by the Church has more value in my eyes than human reasons, whatever they may be.

Fortune favours the audacious.

A good prince will tax as lightly as possible those commodities which are used by the poorest members of society: grain, bread, beer, wine, clothing, and all other staples without which human life could not exist.

The majority of the common people loathe war and pray for peace; only a handful of individuals, whose evil joys depend on general misery, desire war.

Anything which causes trouble has special merit in their eyes.

There is no joy in possession without sharing.